The Games of Summer 2006

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What will we spend the hot summer days playing? Read on!

By IGN PlayStation Team

The summer months cause a bit of confusion for most gamers. It's the only time of year the call of the outdoors equals the seductive pull of the living room couch. Beyond this, the release of high-profile games tends to slow down a little bit in preparation for the holidays. But this summer looks to be different. Especially for the PSP fans out there. Not only does your system of choice allow for gaming at the beach or local water park, it's also getting more than its share of delicious software before the holidays even start. With that, head down below to discover exactly what should occupy your time this summer. Happy gaming!

What to Expect: Here's a game for those RPG fans out there. Blade Dancer drops you in the shoes of a young man named Lance. He takes it upon himself to prevent an evil entity known as the Dread Knight from destroying the galaxy. And yes, he's as sinister as he sounds. He's basically a demon King who wants to unleash an army of demons to run around destroying everything in sight. You control the action from the third-person, much like the later iterations in the Final Fantasy series. The similarities leak into the combat system, as each character has an Individual activity meter. Cooler still, the game allows for cooperative network play using the PSP's wireless function.

What to Expect: It's time to battle the underground. Set before the original Def Jam Vendetta, The Takeover tells the story of D-Mob's rise to power. It's not really connected to Vendetta like the original game, though it does help elaborate on it. Instead, it's almost entirely new. You create a character and try to work your way to the top of the five boroughs of New York. Interestingly, you'll need to recruit allies along the way. And for those of you who want a little help, The Takeover features tips and hints when creating and recruiting characters. It should help you make sense of the different fighting styles and special techniques available in the game.

What to Expect: Juice Games is taking its namesake title to the PSP later this month with Juiced: Eliminator, and the developer looks to push the portable version of the game farther than its console counterpart. The customization features are great, allowing you to trick out your vehicles in almost any way imaginable, and the racing engine rewards you for performing risky maneuvers on the track. Add in the cool respect system and the way that rival racers work against you and Juiced: Eliminator has a promising future ahead indeed, so car nuts should be on the lookout for this one.